One Step at a Time
by Viktor Mayrin
Summary: Prize fic from my 100 followers giveaway on Tumblr. Jaune learned from the best. And then he began to apply it.


One Step at a Time

By Viktor Mayrin

_A/N: Wisp-The-Shaper's request fic for my 100 followers giveaway on Tumblr. They requested a training montage of sorts for Jaune. I will admit that I saved this one for last because I feel that it will be the hardest to write, and I hope that it is well received._

"Okay, I want you to set your stance like I taught you." Pyrrha said as she spun the practice sword- a poor stand-in for Miló, but she could hardly use her weapon at the moment- and settled into her own stance. "Move your feet a little more apart. Stop. Back a little bit. Okay, that's good. For now."

"For now. That worries me." Jaune muttered as he hefted his own practice sword. "O-okay. I'm ready."

The exchange of blows lasted maybe four seconds before Pyrrha snaked her blade around Jaune's and neatly disarmed him. The boy sighed and retrieved his sword from the opposite end of the court. He jogged back to the center and settled back into his stance.

"Better." Pyrrha said.

"Yeah, I actually managed to hold onto my sword for like two seconds." Jaune muttered sarcastically. "That's a real improvement."

"_Four_ seconds, Jaune. That's plenty of time for _your teammates_ to intervene." Pyrrha corrected him.

He scowled and brought his sword up again. "Ready."

OSaaT

Jaune grunted as he locked swords with Pyrrha. Her grin was almost feral as she met his eyes. "Getting better!" She ground through clenched teeth. "But not... good... _enough_!"

She forced him back a step and swept his supporting foot from beneath with a swift kick. As he pitched forward, she snapped her own sword down, freezing a scant inch from his neck. He grinned, and tapped his own weapon against her knee.

"Watch yourself, Pyrrha."

She laughed as she helped him to his feet. "You're getting better, Jaune."

OSaaT

"Okay, so today we're gonna do some switching up. Ren, you're up!" Pyrrha called to the taciturn member of their team. "Jaune's got a handle on me, let's see how he deals with you."

Ren nodded as he approached the sparing ring. "Conditions?"

"Auras active, live weapons." She replied. "Standard competition rules, no killing blows, fight ends at ten percent aura."

Jaune readied Crochea Mors and Ren produced Storm Flowers from his sleeves. Pyrrha stepped back and swept her arm down. "Begin!"

Ren expected Jaune to charge at him. Instead, Jaune slowly began to circle Ren, eyes calculating and guard up. Ren regarded his team leader with renewed interest as he began his own cautious circling.

"I'm surprised you didn't charge." He said easily. "No brute force today?"

"You're too fast for that to work." Jaune replied as he paused. "This fight is intentionally uneven in your favor."

"So you've learned to assess your opponents then?"

Jaune made a gesture that Ren assumed was a shrug. "Sure, let's go with that."

And then he _moved_.

Ren was familiar with moving quickly. It was what his style was based on. But what Jaune had done was decidedly odd. He'd used his aura to slide over the ground like it was ice, increasing his speed and potential strike capabilities beyond what most people could reasonably deal with.

Ren brought both of the Storm Flowers up in a cross guard, catching the blade before it could land a strike. He then rotated his weapons and broke the guard, forcing Jaune to let go of his weapon or face a broken wrist. As Ren brought his weapons to bear, he fired a short burst, hoping to force Jaune onto the defensive.

Instead, Jaune absorbed the shots, his aura barely flickering, and retrieved his sword. He brought his shield up to block another burst as he started to circle again. "Your ranged attacks don't have enough muzzle speed to get through my aura, and I can't keep you engaged in melee long enough to land more than one hit." He said. "An impasse."

Ren nodded. "Not bad. Though that's what's expected of anyone attending Beacon." He shifted his stance, his eyes boring holes into Jaune.

Jaune grinned, his aura flaring again.

OSaaT

"Cardin Winchester. Jaune Arc." Glynda Goodwitch drawled, obviously bored. "Begin."

Cardin could see the difference in Jaune's stance. Gone was the lack of anything resembling the boy at the beginning of the semester. Jaune's stance was rock solid, and the way he moved was entirely different. "Finally taking this seriously?" Cardin asked as he hefted his mace. "I could use a challenge."

Jaune grinned. "Seriously? Cardin, maybe _you_ should take this seriously."

In the next instant, their weapons met in a thunderous clash. Their auras glowed brightly as they locked their weapons against each other. They broke apart as Jaune lashed out with his foot at Cardin's knees. The taller boy's face lit up with something like joy. His stance changed, no longer relaxed.

Jaune's aura seemed to wreathe him in an inferno of light. His grin matched the one on Cardin's face as their weapons met again, sending sparks in a spray as they moved into an almost deadly dance. Above them, the display showed their Aura's to be depleting at a similar rate. Goodwitch had long since abandoned her bored demeanor as she watched the fight play out.

And then Jaune swept Cardin's supporting foot from underneath him and placed his sword against his opponent's shoulder.

Goodwitch blinked as she saw Cardin's aura dip into the red. She shook her head slightly as she remembered herself. "Match: Jaune Arc."

End


End file.
